Broody and the Beast
by ZZbop
Summary: Both Sasuke and Naruto's lives are connected through a power they cannot begin to understand. Memories haunt them and anger threatens to tear them apart, yet something stronger keeps them bound together. But the clock still ticks; the curse awaits. What will they do? This Beauty and his Beast...
1. Breath of Life

**Hi Readers! This is my first "chaptered" fan fiction so I hope it isn't too bad, ha. It's basically my own twist on _'Beauty and the Beast'. _I was watching _Naruto, _then Disney's _Beauty and the Beast_, so one thing led to another and -BOOM- this happened. Anyway, hope you enjoy! **

**NOTE: I do not own any of these characters or the Disney movie _Beauty and the Beast_.**

* * *

Sasuke huffs as he stomps down the stairs to the basement. Kakashi's incessant calling sounds muffled through the thick door below, but that doesn't make it any less annoying. The teen nearly kicks the door off its hinges. "WHAT? What do you want?"

He scans the room, taking in all the odd looking doo-dads and knick-knacks tossed about the small space. Kakashi whips around and scrambles towards him, barely avoiding prods and points along the way. "I need you to get something for me."

"As in, get you something from, say, the kitchen? Or get you something from somewhere _not_ in this house?" He says the second with an icy tone and folds his arms across his chest.

Sasuke's obvious displeasure does nothing to faze the man. He clips without hesitation, "the latter", to which Sasuke throws his arms up in exasperation. He fixes the man with a cold glare but finds he's equally met. It's a losing battle and he knows it; putting up a fight would be a waste of time. The teen breathes a defeated sigh, "Where?"

"A flower shop in the village by the other end of the forest."

"Wha-the forest!? It'll take the whole weekend to cross it!"

"Indeed so, and?"

Another sigh, "Never mind. What is it that you need?"

"A rare specimen of African Nematoda. I had a letter sent to the distributor, so all you have to do is inform them you are the one retrieving the goods in my stead."

Sasuke glares at him again before dropping his head in his hands. Kakashi gives him a questioning look, though the boy cannot see it.

"I don't see any problem."

The teen groans and lifts his head, "I don't understand why you can't do this yourself."

"Ah. Simple." He turns and gestures toward an ordinary looking potted plant sitting on his work desk, other less fortunate, withered looking plants lye in heaps on the floor. "I cannot afford to leave this experiment. This is the only surviving subject and I must keep a close watch on it. What if I left and the injections backfired, causing the central system to collapse without me to give the precisely measured amount of—"

"Okay, okay," Sasuke cuts him off, the explanation already tiring his brain. "I get it. I'll get your Nema-whatevers. But you owe me."

He gives Kakashi a pointed look before heading to the door, opening it when he hears the older man mutter a "thanks". Sasuke gives the room a final glance, eyes scanning the many failed "experiments" crammed along the walls and chuckles inwardly.

"Hn."

* * *

Sasuke latches the belt of the saddle under Uma's belly while the mare idly grazes on wisps of grass. Because his current mission is of "urgency", he has no time to grieve for the loss of his weekend. Why he isn't used to this happening by now is beyond him. For years the inventor, his guardian, has been sending him off on ridiculous errands to fetch supplies for his experiments, most of which turn out to be a failure in the end anyway. But the man never stops, even after the incident with his eye, turning it red and forcing him to wear a mask at all times. This is the focus of most of their arguments, otherwise they're perfectly fine. Well, as "perfectly fine" as you can get with a _sardonic genius_ and an _outcast teen_ living under one roof.

"Looks like we're trekking through the forest today, girl…"

Uma's head perks up, as if in annoyance. Sasuke absently strokes the fur above her nose, instantly mollifying her, though it does nothing to soothe his own nerves. _The forest…_

He may not show it, but the place has always given him an eerie sort of feeling. It's definitely not something he feels often, (being known for his calm demeanor), and it puts him on edge.

The teen quickly tries to smother his frets and mounts Uma in one effortless movement. The moment he lands on the saddle, he's facing the woods. It looks dark, like the morning sun doesn't shine where it resides.

A sick feeling writhes in the pit of his stomach like a snake, coiling and squeezing.

"Hya!"

* * *

The bright blue of the sky slowly transforms into shady violet, a splotch of pink-ish orange where the sun sets. The thick foliage of the trees blocks most of it from view, only allowing flecks of blue or violet to be seen here and there as Uma jogs. Snow fell a little after they crossed into the wood, now having accumulated into a thick layer on the forest floor.

Thoughts of rest make their way into Sasuke's mind; they'll have to stop soon.

He gives the reins a slight tug, "Woaaah…slow a bit Uma."

The horse complies, bringing her pace down to a steady trot. Sasuke uses this chance to observe their surroundings while shaking icy flecks out of his hair.

The place still gives him a bad feeling but now it looks almost…beautiful.

Glittering white is peppered along every surface, standing out on the dark wood of the trees. The stark contrast between the black of the forest and the shine of the snow is absolutely breathtaking, but that feeling is still there, like something savage hides behind the mask of beauty; its disguise.

Suddenly Uma stops and stares intently at something the boy can't see. Her posture is rigid, the silence as she stares almost suffocating; something's not right.

Sasuke shifts his head to get a better angle, but before he can catch a glimpse of the threat, Uma whips off, blazing through the wood. He barely has enough time to right himself and fiercely latches his hands to clumps of her mane. The reins whip in the air, but he doesn't dare let go of her mane, for fear that he will immediately fly off her back.

"Uma! S-Steady!"

But the horse doesn't listen, or rather doesn't _hear_; doesn't hear anything, being completely consumed by her fright. She whinnies and snorts in panic, whizzing through the forest, tree branches littering their bodies in cuts. Everything around them is one blur blending into another.

Uma stops abruptly, causing Sasuke to slam into her neck and lose his grip on her hair. She lifts her front legs in the air, kicking and bucking wildly. Sasuke falls off her back, hitting the ground hard and rolling down the steep drop-off at his side. His heart beats so hard it's a miracle it hasn't burst from his chest.

He has no control over his body as it topples down the rocky slope. The snow does little to cushion his fall or protect him from the sharp rocks jutting out of the ground.

_Spinning…everything is…spinning… _

The world around him moves in spirals even after he feels his body hit the bottom. He faintly recognizes the crimson oozing into the snow as his blood and the sharp pain coursing through his entire body, before he slips out of consciousness.

* * *

_Why is it so cold?_

Sasuke's eyes flutter open, feeling heavy. It takes him a moment to recall the situation, then his eyes widen and his heart beats fast once again.

_Uma got spooked. She ran off and now I'm—where am I?_

He raises his torso and immediately regrets the decision when searing pain shoots up his spine, "Agh!" He bites back a curse, eyes squeezing shut.

It's when he opens them again that he sees it; the blood. _My blood._ The dark fluid stains the snow, the surreal image bringing forth disturbing memories.

Memories of blood, so much blood, and unbearable grief. The screams echo in the distance. He knows, but he can't hear them, can only watch as the life drains from those eyes. Those eyes..._—NO.—_

_No. Not now. There's no time. I have to move **now** or I **will** die._

Sasuke shoves the painful memories aside, now trying to evaluate the situation, and hopefully save his own life. His eyes skim over his surroundings; _anything _could be of help at this point. _Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit—wait-what the hell?_

He spots something—well it's just sitting there _blatantly obvious_ so it'd be hard not too.

A massive castle looms before him, not too distant, a black iron fence marking its perimeter. The forest surrounds the fence, the area inside containing a sparse number of its own trees. Snow coats the ground so he's unable to see if the lawn has been recently cut, but the place itself looks well kept, which means it may be occupied by _people_.

_People who can help me. _Sasuke sighs with relief. The fact that there's a castle here at all is the least of his concerns, he's too enamored with the enormity of his luck.

_First thing's first, I have to get there._

Placing his hands in the bloodied snow, he slowly pushes himself onto his heels, groaning at the pain. More blood seeps into the icy froth as his wounds stretch with the movement. He uses a slim tree to support himself while he raises the rest of his body, hissing at every burning wave shot up his spine.

He careens toward the castle in a stumbling mess, breath coming in short gasps and vision swimming. "D-Damn…"

**_I will not_ die.**

* * *

Sasuke collapses the moment his feet pass the entrance of the open gate. He feels his body sink into the snow.

_Just…make it through…yard…but…sleepy…_

Rest sounds so alluring it's unbearable, but he knows if he sleeps now he won't ever wake up. With this thought in mind—being the only thing to push him on—he weakly crawls through the snow, eyes never leaving the large wooden door of the castle.

He knows the color red smears on the snow with every pull. Knows he's dying and this whole endeavor could be for nothing, but he simply _cannot_ die; _cannot_ lose hope; _cannot _give up on life. It's not what **_he_ **would have wanted for him…

His chest heaves for every bit of icy air and his arms ache, but it does nothing to deter him. _So…close…_

An arm stretches painfully to rest a palm on the first stone step. The feel of the cool granite is like a promise of life.

_Made it._

Sasuke tries to call out, but his voice escapes as a hoarse whisper. He tries again, screaming this time, but it's still the same result. He rests his cheek on the snow, praying someone will find him. At this point it's all he can do.

After lying for a bit, struggling to stay awake, he hears something.

Faint sounds of voices from inside the castle, seemingly right by the entrance. Sasuke tries to tune in, but can't understand a word, only registering that there are two male voices, one almost animated and the other cautious. The louder one talks quick, even shouts a few times, only to be—what he guesses—hushed by the other.

_Please see me._

The voices suddenly stop, and Sasuke waits for the door to creak open, but it doesn't come. He wants to scream so bad, hates feeling so helpless.

Just as his hope starts to slip away, the door opens. All strength has left him, so he's unable to lift his head, but he doesn't mind. Instead he relishes in the relief that floods his body, beginning to succumb to the pull of sleep.

Now he's staring into the sky. Whoever it was that came through the door must have flipped him on his back. He doesn't remember it though.

A gentle brush of fingers on his skin, and his bangs no longer cloak his half-lidded eyes. He hears a small gasp, then something moves over his face—no—_someone_ moves over his face. Sasuke's vision starts to fade, blackness growing around the edges.

The other person moves closer until their eyes hover directly above his own.

_Purple. Their eyes are purple—impossible…_

Then everything goes black.


	2. Defying Death

**Hey Readers! Sorry this chapter is so late! I'm a HUGE procrastinator...which is really quite unfortunate, ha. But it's finally here so "Yayyy" and all that good stuff. I actually finished this chapter faster than the** **other (it's very short) so I hope it's up to par. Feel free to ask me questions and I will answer to the best of my abilities. ENJOY! **

**NOTE: I do not own any of these characters.**

* * *

"Kiba, if this is another prank, I swear to God…"

"NO! This is for real, like, _really _for real! I swear!"

The insistent teen drags Shikamaru by his wrist, heading towards one of the large windows beside the front door. Once they reach the curtains, he lets go of Shikamaru's arm, shooting a glance at his unwilling partner as if he'd use the chance to bolt or something.

Shikamaru sighs and raises his eyebrows as if to say "go on then", to which Kiba turns back and yanks at the thick fabric blocking their view.

The pink of the sunset has now fully vanished, being replaced by blackish-blue. Shikamaru's eyes dart around the scene.

"I don't see anything." Kiba stifles a groan at this, obviously a bit frustrated.

"Look there, by the stairs!" He says, pointing with a flailing arm.

He watches the others eyes as they squint and then widen.

"I-Is that a…person?"

"See? I think he's hurt. There's blood."

"He?"

"Well yeah. I mean, at first I thought it was a _she_ because it-he—whatever looked kinda girl-ish? But I don't see any boobs so…yeah it's a _he_."

"Wow, great examination there; no way _that_ could be wrong." The ponytailed teen remarks, voice oozing sarcasm. "So I guess we should tell Naruto then—"

"NO. You know all he'll do is scare away the poor guy! Besides he looks seriously hurt—hell, he hasn't even so much as twitched since I saw him!"

Shikamaru's brows rise this time in surprise at the other's show of concern. He sighs again, _what a drag._

"I get it Kiba, I do. But it'll only be worse for the man if we _don't_ tell Naruto and instead try to sneak him in or whatever you were thinking."

Kiba opens his mouth to protest then snaps it shut. The conflict is evident in his features.

Shikamaru sighs again (something he does quite often) and heads for the staircase. He peeks behind him to see Kiba following sulkily.

_Jeez._

* * *

The claws of his forefinger and thumb lightly grip the sides of the card; a steady hand gently puts it in place. When the formation doesn't crumble, he flexes his fingers and proceeds with the next one; a queen of hearts.

His bushy tail flicks in concentration. "Almost t-there…"

KNOCK. KNOCK.

The noise startles him, making him move too quickly and causing the house-of-cards to fall apart; colored paper fluttering to the ground.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Tch! Dammit, come in!" He barks.

The door opens, revealing the sources of the disturbance. Naruto's irritable look softens a bit.

"Shika. Kiba. What is it?"

The two have oddly serious expressions. "Master—uh, sorry about the cards, but we have kind of an urgent matter to discuss."

Naruto rises from his desk chair, red eyes already questioning. "What's going on?"

"Kiba found something in the yard," His narrow pupils now flick to Kiba, "well actually he found _someone _in the yard…" Kiba meets his eyes when Shikamaru finishes the sentence.

Naruto sets his focus back on the ponytailed servant. "So? You know what to do. Both of you do."

Shikamaru opens his mouth so speak but Kiba beats him to it. "He's hurt though! Badly. Even if we tried to scare him off like the others, I don't think he'd even be able to run away."

Naruto's caught off guard by the sudden outburst, not that it's unusual coming from Kiba, just the emotion behind it; an emotion that's become harder and harder for Naruto to hold onto since his transformation. _Empathy._

But the two servants can see it; see something stir behind the crimson orbs. Only the ones closest to him can catch a glimpse.

"H-How do you know he's injured?"

Shikamaru finds his voice, "There's a lot of blood."

A thick silence settles around the three of them. Both servants stare at the blonde, awaiting an order, but his eyes stay glued to the floor. He jolts suddenly and quickly walks to the door. "Wait here."

Kiba panics, unsure of his Master's intentions. They can never be sure anymore. "What are you—"

SLAM.

* * *

Naruto thrusts the front door open, about to stomp down the steps and give the intruder a piece of his mind—_'Cause he can't be hurt that bad right?_—but stops dead in his tracks at the sight that greets him.

A bloodied form lies crumpled in the snow. One frail hand resting atop the first stone step, as though that was as far as the broken body could go. The blonde sucks in a breath and slowly approaches the stranger. Any negative or aggressive thoughts are gone in a flash, now only a single word repeating in his mind; _help_.

He gently shifts the person so that their back rests on his lap and uses a hand to cushion their head. Jet black hair hides his eyes, wet from the snow. His skin is pale as death. _You're so cold._

Naruto gently moves the bangs aside, careful not to prick him with a claw, and gasps.

All life is fading from the charcoal eyes, and he can see it. He bores into them and watches in horror as the stranger loses his grip; his very soul slipping through his fingers. This is his end.

_No…_

He's seen this before; witnessed the loss of this timeless battle through his own family's eyes.

Shards of the memories pierce his focus, flashing one by one; blinding him. Those final breaths before the light leaves them forever.

And it's happening again.

_NO!_

Something happens to him then. He can practically feel the sudden shift in his being. Impulse brings him closer to those dying eyes. Thought doesn't exist in this moment, only instinct.

Naruto's so close he can feel the other's weak breathe before it finally stops; the battle lost. But it does not affect him. Something has numbed him to his very core.

He feels nothing until his lips meet the others, chilled by death, closing his eyes. Then he feels everything at once.

Raw power courses through him, jagged and electrifying. It feels hot. It's almost too much for him but just as he thinks that, it cools into cozy warmth that envelopes his body. It tingles and sparks like the kiss of a flame. The power is still there, deep and endless, but another part of it feels sweet and delicate.

It feels like _life_.

The power flows past his lips. As it leaves him, he becomes aware again. The instinct is losing its control, or more accurately, letting it go. _What…just?_

Naruto realizes what he's doing and jumps away from the unconscious teen, dropping him to the ground in a not-so-delicate manner. _What the hell was I doing to Sasuke?!_

His eyes widen. "S-Sasuke?" _That's your name. But how do I—_

The blonde's thoughts are interrupted quite abruptly when he sees the supposed-to-be-a-dead-body move an arm.

_Holy Hell…_

Open wounds close over on his body, not even a scar to prove they were there, and blood actually seeping _back _into him. Color blushes his skin, though it's still pale. Even the blue on his lips turns into a soft pink. His chest slowly rises and falls, the cool air making his breath visible as it leaves his mouth. He's sleeping; he looks so peaceful.

Naruto gapes, mouth wide open. "Shit, y-you're alive…" He barely manages to whisper. He can't stop staring at the unconscious miracle before him. That's when he connects the dots…

_It was me wasn't it? I brought you back._

He has so many thoughts whizzing through his skull he's afraid it will explode. _What the shit!? How did I do it? Why me? Why just him? I don't understand…_

Naruto throws an arm up in frustration, fisting his hair. A massive headache threatens to ensue. Lowering his hand, he looks again at the sleeping stranger.

Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

The door creaks open, but he doesn't bother looking to see who enters the room. A hand grips his shoulder. "You've been in here a while…"

"Tsunade."

She sighs when he doesn't move, only stares, balled hands under his chin in concentration, tail flicking.

"You really shouldn't stare at the poor boy like that."

"Like what?"

"Like he's a unicorn or something."

"Can you blame me? He came back from the _dead_. I would know, I'm the one who gave him the damn ride." Tsunade squeezes his shoulder before letting go. She can tell, even through his snarky jest, that he's at a loss. She gives the "zombie" (as Kiba's now calling him) a once-over.

"Sasuke huh?"

No reply.

"He's quite the pretty face, even death couldn't shake it." She pauses and turns back to the blonde, only he's glaring at the carpet, as if it's very existence pisses him off. Letting his anger get to him isn't an option, doing so has never ended... _well_. She quickly kneels before him and wraps her hands around his own; like a mother would.

"Naruto, look at me. Stay calm and look at me." Her tone is feather soft. He meets her gaze.

"I want you to tell me what happened, okay? Everything."

She's curious as to why he blushes a little at the last word. All she really knows is what she's heard from Kiba and Shikamaru, who witnessed Naruto bursting into his office last night with a (now healthy) stranger in his arms saying he "brought him back" over and over. They'd helped find a room for the boy before Naruto kicked them out, then Kiba couldn't shut his yap about all the "zombie" crap. The whole castle's in a fuss about it, but the master hasn't once left the room (the entire night) to explain.

Naruto inhales a shaky breath, and then he tells her; tells her every last detail.

*x*x*x*x*

Tsunade doesn't look at him. She's now mesmerized by the boy sleeping in the bed across from them, like Naruto himself was earlier.

"You really did bring him back…" She whispers in awe.

It's not a question but he answers anyway. "Yes."

"Should I tell the others what happened?"

Naruto debates whether or not he should say no, but succumbs anyway, nodding his head. Tsunade makes a move to open the door.

"Wait!" He grabs her wrist, careful not to claw her. "You can tell Kiba and Shika everything—just, y'know, tell them not to tell anyone else about the…" He trails off, blushing slightly.

A knowing smile spreads across the woman's face. "Got it. Don't worry."

She leaves Naruto alone again with the sleeping raven. The blonde heaves a sigh. This whole situation has been positively draining yet he hasn't even thought about sleeping. Oddly, he really doesn't want to leave Sasuke alone. Calling a servant in to watch him is an idea, yes, but he honestly doesn't _want_ that. It doesn't feel right. He blushes slightly at the mushy thought. _Tch! It kind of pisses me off._

"Mm-no…"

Naruto's head whips up.

"No…n-not…"

Sasuke's head falls to the side, brows creased. He jerks his legs a bit and continues to mumble. Naruto races to his side, realizing he's trapped in a nightmare.

"Not y-you…no..."

"Sasuke?"

The moment Naruto speaks, the other's eyes open and focus on him.

Then shit hits the fan.


End file.
